Last year was my very first International Missions Convention and I wasn't wrong that I went and joined.

It was a life changing convention.

International Missions Convention is an annual convention sponsored by our Main Church in Manila. I believe last year was the second one. This friday will be the third one!

And YES! I am joining! Woohoo! I am so excited and I am so expectant for wonderful things to happen to my life this whole weekend.

I will be blogging about everything I'll be learning day after day for the whole two-day convention. SO you wouldn't need to worry, the WORD I'll receive, I'll pass on to you. Surely it will bless you as well.

Here's a video from last year's International Missions Convention held in Manila:

Those who are from Manila, Philippines, email me at yourdailyword@gmail.com if you're interested in joining this convention! Hope to see you there!

Let me pause here first as I need to pack things up. I'll be leaving early tomorrow!

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

James 5:16 (KJV)

Just after shift a while ago, I with my boss and co-workers visited a friend's mother who has been hospitalized. This friend of mine to give you an idea a very jolly person. A friend who is always able to make you smile and make things a little not too serious.

Honestly, I was expecting that same kind of person when we arrived at the hospital. But I was wrong. I found my friend crying and sobbing beside her ailing mother. Now that tells me how serious the situation was.

She then started telling us about her mother's condition. Her sickness really started with Diabetes and then became complicated. Complications that made her blood pressure and sodium in her body go up. I then learned that her mom haven't awaken since Saturday. She has also greatly lost weight from the last time (and the only time) I saw her.

We then started empathizing and comforting our friend with taps on the back, hugs and we even tried to crack some jokes to lighten the mood. I know this is a very difficult situation in her life.

Deep inside me, I really wanted to pray for her mother and my friend's family. But there's something that's stopping me from doing so. I'm not sure if it's shyness or fear of rejection or I don't know. But while we were there, there was a battle inside me whether to pray or to just shut up.

Praise the Lord! He won! I said it! I asked everyone if we can pray and WE DID!

Now this is the reason why the title of this post is "The Prayer of A Righteous Man Availeth Much". It is actually my declaration that my prayer for comfort, healing, hope and love from the Lord Jesus to the family be answered. It is my faith that my prayer be heard and be "effective" for God's glory! Not that I consider myself righteous because of me. Absolutely not! But that I consider myself righteous by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, my mediator to God!

With that faith, I know that my prayers have been heard and answers are already coming. But this is also a great opportunity for all of you my dear readers to pray with me for my friend's family and her mom for miraculous healing, financial provision and that their hearts be filled with God's love and comfort through HIS WORD! Remember that when two or more people agree, God shall open the windows of heaven.

Please take time to remember them in prayer. May God bless you always.

The message I received while listening to this song (and singing) is found in the bridge part.

"Chains be broken

Lives be healed

Eyes be opened

Christ is revealed"

It just reminds us that it takes for us to be set free or a better way of saying it is it takes for us to know that we've been set free! It takes for our lives to be healed from anger, hatred, disappointments and sin. It takes for us to open our eyes to understand what God has been doing and His purposes instead of focusing on the NOW!

Because by doing so, Christ is REVEALED through our lives!

Listen to the song and share to us what God has spoken through this song.

I don't know about you but when I graduated and landed on my very first job, I thought to myself; "I'M FREE!"

No, not because my mom who was providing my allowance was like enslaving me but it's just as if the WORLD is there waiting for you to be conquered!

You can now try just anything around you! Things that were No-no's when you were still a college student. Things that were for adults only...(Ooppsss...was I overly honest there?)

Anyway, I'm blessed because even before Jesus came God had already knew this would be coming. God already knew that this situation would be enticing. He then set a reminder! He gave a "shout-out" through the wisest man ever lived. Solomon.

King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes

"Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment." Ecc. 11:9 (NIV)

I'm sure everyone would love to just read the first part and omit the judgment part. BUT there's a but. We cannot picked verses in the Bible. If we choose to believe one thing, we would need to believe the attached accountability. Now, that's worth reiterating. A lot of us love to hear about promises and blessings but when it starts to be about "Go-ing" into the world, letting go of oneself, and sacrificing we can hardly obey and believe.

The Bible says "Be happy young man! Do whatever you like. But remember everything will be shed to light!"

God then reiterated this truth in the New Testament (coz people might forget) through the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.

"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. 1 Cor. 10:23-24

Now that takes us a little deeper. God doesn't want us to just check on what we do whether it's beneficial or not but (there's the word again) at the same time check on what others would feel everytime we do something. To look not only for our own interests but also the interest of others.

So go ahead, ENJOY LIFE to the fullest after all this was HIS design from the beginning. Just make sure to ask this question:

I watched the proverbial sunrise
Coming up over the Pacific and
You might think I'm losing my mind,
But I will shy away from the specifics...

'cause I don't want you to know where I am
'cause then you'll see my heart
In the saddest state it's ever been.

This is no place to try and live my life.

[Pre-Chorus]
Stop right there. That's exactly where I lost it.
See that line. Well I never should have crossed it.
Stop right there. Well I never should have said
That it's the very moment that
I wish that I could take back.

[Chorus]
I'm sorry for the person I became.
I'm sorry that it took so long for me to change.
I'm ready to be sure I never become that way again
'cause who I am hates who I've been.
Who I am hates who I've been.

I talk to absolutely no one.
Couldn't keep to myself enough.
And the things bottled inside have finally begun
To create so much pressure that I'll soon blow up.

I heard the reverberating footsteps
Synching up to the beating of my heart,
And I was positive that unless I got myself together,
I would watch me fall apart.

And I can't let that happen again
'cause then you'll see my heart
In the saddest state it's ever been.

This is no place to try and live my life.

[Pre-Chorus x2]
[Chorus]

Who I am hates who I've been
And who I am will take the second chance you gave me.
Who I am hates who I've been
'cause who I've been only ever made me...

So sorry for the person I became.
So sorry that it took so long for me to change.
I'm ready to be sure I never become that way again
'cause who I am hates who I've been.
Who I am hates who I've been.

The preceding verses before this talks about Paul giving up his own freedom to save those who are slaves (1 Cor. 9:19). Paul becoming weak to save those who are weak (1 Cor. 9:22). Paul becoming ALL things to ALL men to save more.

More verses before that also talks about Paul denying oneself. The King James Version of the Bible even titled this part of the Epistle "A Pattern of Self Denial".

And then Paul said,

"Now this I do for the gospel’s sake..."
Truly Paul denied himself of all things he enjoyed before for the gospel's sake. He was a Pharisee with all authority. He can choose to stay but he didn't. He chose to leave the "comfortable" for the gospel's sake. He denied his right to safety and security. Imagine how many times he was flogged, imprisoned and shipwrecked. He denied himself the need for acceptance, instead he went out and reasoned in the synagogues and bravely shared the gospel to anyone.

ALL THESE He DID for the gospel's sake!

What have we done for the gospel's sake?

What are we doing for the gospel's sake?

What will we be doing for the gospel's sake?

Have we been very busy "going" to church, "reading" the Bible and "praying" while forgetting the greatest commandment God left us?

What have you denied for the gospel's sake? What have you let go for the gospel's sake?

I bumped into a blogpost from Joyful Christian Wife. If you've been a follower of the blog, you would know I've linked back to this blog a while back on regards to the controversial Miss California Carrie Prejean and I have revered her post as The TRUE Christian Perspective.

This time I am surprised with her recent post. I just want to make it clear before I continue though, I don't disagree with her as a person and a sister in Christ but I would like to give what I think as a Christian on the topic at hand.

There was this man who was convicted of sodomy and sexual abuse on an 11 year old kid. Just recently the same man was ordained minister in a Louisville Kentucky Church.

Now there's the conflict.

Marlo of JCW stressed that even though she's all for forgiveness, she's saying that the Church must have the Wisdom and Common sense not to put this kind of man in a position of trust and spiritual authority in the community. She continued saying (giving facts based on statistics) that these "kind of people" will someday go back to their old ways and re offend again.

Let's read a passage in the Bible:

John 8:1-12 (New King James Version)
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

And what happened to this woman?

She was the first WOMAN that the Lord had shown himself to after He resurrected!
Read the passage in John 20:11-18. Now that tells us something. Not just Mary Magdalene being special to the Lord but that this woman who was once an adulterous came to know Christ and was changed ENTIRELY! And if Jesus can do that to her, HE can do the same thing to this convicted turned minister!

Let me throw these questions,

Who are we to judge the worthiness or unworthiness of a person in serving God and I mean specifically as a minister? Didn't Peter deny Jesus but still was appointed to open the gospel to the Jews? Didn't Paul approve several killings of the saints but still was appointed by God to be an apostle to the Gentiles?

It's not about being worthy because if it is then no one is! It's not about your past but it is about the future God has in stored for you! It is not a question whether this man will be changed or not. What we know is Jesus can change LIVES even to the point of opposing what the statistics say. God is above our thoughts, our ways and the norms of this world!

To bring it a little further, didn't Jesus came to seek those who are lost? Should we start putting requirements before anybody can serve God?

It's an issue of calling not being worthy.

What do we learn from this?

Your past is not an issue and is irrelevant compared to the future God has prepared for you! Go and SERVE the LORD!

May God bless you! and May God continually be glorified!

P.S.

My dear readers, these are my thoughts and convictions based on what I know. I may not be the brightest Bible Scholar out there to handle this issue but what I've written is what I think is right. If you have reactions and responses, please don't hesitate to leave your comments.

For several months now, I have constantly been reminded by God to live this life to the fullest! To be the person he designed me to be! To use all the good gifts He has endowed to me! To be more than ordinary. To be uncommon. To be different. To be EXTRAORDINARY!

Truly, this is our calling! Jesus didn't just die for us to save us from Hell and the Second Death. He came to give us LIFE and have it to the fullest! He came to make us MORE than CONQUERORS! To make us WINNERS! He came to make us excellent in everything our hands find to do! To make us the TOP and the HEAD. To make us the BEST for His glory!

That's the Design! But we sometimes listen to the Devil's lies and deceptions that we're nothing, we're doomed to fail and that we can never do it. The Devil always reminds us of our past (who we were, what we've done) but let's remind him of our PRESENT (saved by the Grace of God) and his future (eternal damnation in the fiery furnace.

Remember, as I've always said in this site that this maybe TRUE but without you declaring it for your life, believing this truth and LIVING it UP, it will forever be unreal.

SO go ahead, BE EXTRAORDINARY! Be EXCELLENT! Be The BEST! Be the PERSON God had designed you to be!

I am blessed when a friend of mine told me that John Bevere just published a book Extraordinary: The Life You're Meant To Live. And gladly I found an interview of him talking about it. I recommend for you to check it out below:

Just recently two Missionary friends from Mindanao (the second largest Island of the Philippines) visited us here in Cebu. Their goal is to share some updates on what God has been doing in Mindanao and to possibly encourage others to respond to their calling!Speaking of calling, I have learned after I finished a course of World Missions that there are at least 4 "calling" or "vocations" one can be called for. There are those who send (through finances) people to the field: they are the "SENDERS". There are those who mobilize and encourage people to pray and support the missionaries: they are the "MOBILIZERS". Third are the PRAYERPartners. And of course the GOERS, those who really go out there to the field.I don't know about you but I have been denying that I can ever be a goer.No, that's not my calling. I'm sure of that. I believe I am a sender and I can even be a prayer partner as well. Those were my usual statements. Really...But lately God rebuked me!
Choosing to be a sender was first of all WRONG. This calling is not something we choose but is something we respond to. It's not about us doing what we want but it's about God working through us. Being a sender and a prayer partner for me is the easiest way to go. My comfort zone and not really or shall I say not what exactly God had designed me to be.

Second, the WORD of the Lord says in the Book of Matthew

Matthew 28:19-20 (New King James Version)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

I mean, God didn't say those who have been called to be a goer, GO! No! He said GO all of you who heard this and who's reading this and yes, including you.

I thought being a GOER takes for me to go to mountainous places and suburban areas and bring the Bible and share the gospel. God made me realize that I have been called to go in HIS special way according to his design for me. He called me to be a GOER to my family first, to my workplace, and to everywhere. And this actually just confirms God's word telling us to be a light, be a salt and be a blessing to the world.

Now, off you go! Go and share the gospel through your life, through your words and through your actions. And by the way, this calling maybe true for me but may not be true for you. You maybe called to Go as a cross-cultural missionary outside of your country or to another tribe or culture. If that's the case then so be it!

We need to just remember, it's not for us to choose but for Him to call.